Book Review - Kid Beowulf – Songs and Sagas

About the Book
Kid Beowulf Songs and Sagas collects five original stories from the world of Kid Beowulf. Learn the secrets of monsters and slayers in Shild and the Dragon. Laugh out loud in Lookin’ For Lingonberries! Adventure with knights in Paladins Tale. Survive a Viking raid in Lay of the Last Survivor and escape bumbling bounty hunters in Boudi’s Bounty. Join twin brothers Beowulf and Grendel on a series of side quests from the award-winning graphic novel series Kid Beowulf!

My Take on the Book
This was a great addition to the Kid Beowulf series. What I loved about this was that it offers you five stories that were a ton of fun and allow you to delve deeper into the characters that you love. The graphic novel is great for kids, whether they love history or not. The art is great and really pulls you into the story, Through the five stories in this book you explore the pre-event origins of what might have happened before some of the big events you may have read about in some of the other books. I have been a fan of this series in the past and this book just solidifies that I continue to be a fan! If you love graphic novels and stories that bring in adventure and a great plot, then this is for you! 


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Book Review - Moo Hoo

About the Book
In Moo Hoo, grab your tissues and meet Milton, a bawling bull who learns to embrace his tears and all his big feelings in this relatable read-aloud perfect for fans of Grumpy Monkey, The Day the Crayons Quit, and The Story of Ferdinand.

Milton has a wonderful life.

But he cries . . . A LOT.

He cries when he's sad. Obviously.

And also when he's happy,

and scared, and nervous, and frustrated,

and, well, you name it.

Milton's friends are baffled by his tears, which only makes him cry more.

Until Milton meets Wanda.

This warm-hearted, rib-tickling read-aloud will make you laugh yourself to tears as it gently affirms feeling all your feelings and embracing exactly who you are.

My Take on the Book

This book was perfect for exploring the importance of finding great friends who will accept you, no matter who you are. At the same time, the book also lets kids know that if they have a lot of emotions, it is ok, and they should just be themselves. This was an excellent book for young kids and parents to share! It will allow you to have meaningful conversations after reading it together!

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Book Review - Forever Fairies: Lula Flutters

About the Book

Join the four newest Sprout Wings on their adventures in the Magic Forest in Forever Fairies: Lula Flutters! These Forever Fairies will learn all there is to know about how fairies help save the day.

Welcome to the Forever Tree!

The new Sprout Wing fairies, Lulu, Nova, Coco, and Zali, can’t wait to explore their home in the Forever Tree. Soon they’ll try out to see which fairy pod they each belong to, starting with the swift and sporty Flutterflies! Lulu wants to stay close to her friends, but there are four different pods, each with a special talent―plus mischievous trolls stirring up trouble! Will the Sprout Wings be fairy friends forever?

My Take on the Book

For any young reader that is fascinated by fairies you will love this series. In the first book, the author does a great job at getting you to know the story's main characters through a fun and interactive story that brings in friendship, some mystery, and a bit more. The story is fun, and the characters are memorable. This is the great start to a great new series that I hope will be around for a long time!

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Book Review - My First Baby Signs

About the Book

Babies have so much to say long before they can talk! My First Baby Signs provides babies, parents, and caregivers with a way to communicate!

• Learning simple signs together with your baby is a game changer!
• Signs encourage babies to communicate basic needs and wants, and helps you understand them.
• My First Baby Signs uses story to introduce over 40 key American Sign Language (ASL) signs and pairs them with visual and written guides on how to do each sign.
• The story shows signs in context and is the perfect way for you and your baby to learn and practice signs together.
• Gentle, softly colorful illustrations throughout aid in learning.
• Includes a helpful index of the signs for fast and easy reference, from ''All Done'' and ''Banana'' to ''Wash Hands'' and ''Water.''
• Sturdy padded hardcover book.
• Ages 0–3.
• Book measures 6-7/8'' wide x 8-3/4'' high.
• 48 pages.

Author Lee Ann Steyns is the creator of Signing Babies, where she teaches community and virtual baby sign language classes. She is also the mother of two and lives in Vancouver, Canada, with her husband.

My Take on the Book

This was a great book for new parents to use with their babies. As the book explains, your child has a ton to say before they can talk, and the book really guides you on how to introduce and use the most useful signs with your own child! The book is filled with imagery to help you and your child to better understand the signs themselves. This is a must-have for new and expecting parents.

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Book Review - Remove, Replace, Restart: The Essential Maintenance Manual for Your Engine for Success

About the Book
In Remove, Replace, Restart: The Essential Maintenance Manual for Your Engine for Success, have you ever felt that you're treading water professionally, that you're coming up against limits in terms of what you can achieve? If so, says Christian Greiser, it might be high time to take some time out. Careers progress through distinct phases: we climb the career ladder, we change direction or set up a business, and, eventually, we retire. As different as these phases are, so too are the rules of success that govern them. If we are to keep succeeding, we must mentally 'shift gears' and realign ourselves accordingly along the way. We must take an honest and sometimes challenging look at our own character: understanding the inner driving forces behind our previous successes, questioning our behavior patterns, and discarding the behaviors that no longer serve us. In this way, we can transition to the next phase of our life and career and come back stronger than before.

Passionate 'career technician' Christian Greiser is here to help us do just that. In this humorously written new book, he draws on insights from his many years of experience as an executive coach. He incorporates research findings, case studies, and exercises to show how we can reset our mental attitude and achieve success and fulfillment in the next phase.


My Take on the Book
What was great about this course is that the author has done a great job of challenging leaders to take innovative steps to change up their leadership for the benefit of all that they work with. I appreciated all of the practical examples found throughout the book that really show the examples and principles shared in the book itself. Not only do you get case studies, but the author also weaves in personal stories to increase the readers' understanding of the overall concepts. I found that these really allowed me to better understand the concepts, and the book provided a very practical approach to amping up my own leadership potential. Get ready to follow this amazing roadmap to help you become an even better leader.

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Book Review - The Art of Wish

About the Book
This stunning volume of the Disney Art of series is an exclusive look behind the scenes of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ original feature film Wish. 

A deluxe installment of the beloved Art of Disney series shares the story behind the art and making of Wish, a feature film set to release during the 100th anniversary year of Walt Disney Animation Studios. A film that could only come from Disney Animation, this epic animated musical is inspired by the legacy of films from the studio and asks the question “How did the wishing star, upon which so many characters wished, come to be?”

The story follows Asha—an optimist with a sharp wit who cares endlessly about her community. In a moment of desperation, Asha makes an impassioned plea to the stars, which is answered by a cosmic force: a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, they face the most formidable of foes to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.

This stunning Disney book highlights the beautiful artwork from the film’s creation—including character designs, storyboards, color scripts, and much more—and features exclusive interviews from the creative team along with behind-the-scenes details.

My Take on the Book
This is such a great book that brings the art of the Disney Movie Wish alive. The movie was such a wonderful story, and the color and artwork throughout were things that my family and I thoroughly enjoyed. This book really allows you to relive that experience page after page. One of the things I love about this and the other Art books is that you really get taken into the movie and brought behind the scenes into the creative process, and by the end, you leave knowing so much more about the movie and the people that brought the movie to life. 

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Book Review - Dear Ruby, Hear Our Hearts

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About the Book

In Dear Ruby, Hear Our Hearts National civil rights activist and icon Ruby Bridges responds to letters from thoughtful and concerned young students from across America.

"I've heard their hearts and now share those hearts with you. These pages truly speak to the power of children!" -- Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges was the first Black child to attend an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. She established the Ruby Bridges Foundation to promote tolerance and to create change through education. She traveled across the US, listening to the inspiring voices of young children.

Dear Ruby, Hear Our Hearts is a compilation of letters from concerned young students about today's issues, including bullying, climate change, gun violence, and racism. Reading Ruby's intuitive and inspirational responses, young readers will embrace the courage to be brave, bold, and confident.

Dear Ruby,

My name is Olivia. Thank you for sharing your story. It made me want to be brave and stand up to make a change. You showed me to not give up when something is unfair. You can make it change, no matter what. I bet you were scared just like me. You said that if someone or something is putting you down, you get back up.

My heart heard that, and I am trying to be more like you.

Sincerely,

Olivia

My dearest Olivia,

I am so pleased you wrote to me, especially about standing up. I know all too well how scary it can be to stand up for yourself or even others. Just know it takes a courageous and brave person to stand up, even if you are afraid. It happens to us all!

I am proud of you,

Ruby Bridges

The students' letters and Ruby's responses are powerfully illustrated with dynamic and thought-provoking artwork by John Jay Cabuay.



My Take on the Book
The thing that I love about this book is that through every letter that Ruby Bridges answers she is touching on real concerns that are impacting kids and society as a whole. I can see so many kids connecting with what Ruby is sharing and I know that this book, while short could have gone on for many more pages, as I know that Ruby gets even more mail than this. 

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Book Review - The Complete Book of US Presidents, Fourth Edition: Updated for 2021

About the Book

In The Complete Book of US Presidents discover the history and personal stories of 46 US Presidents in this beautifully illustrated volume.

From the first president, George Washington, to the forty-sixth, Joe Biden, the United States has seen a host of extraordinary men take office. Their stories are all included in this fourth edition of The Complete Book of US Presidents by journalist and historian Bill Yenne.

This book features short, biographical essays about the lives of 46 presidents, jam-packed with unusual details and commentary on the significant roles each commander-in-chief played in the shaping of the United States and its relations with the world. Lavishly illustrated, including the presidents' official White House portraits, sidebars about each and every vice president and first lady, and intriguing anecdotes, this book is accessible to a broad audience and will captivate any history lover.

The Complete Book of US Presidents is an expansive collection that reflects on America's rich presidential history, telling the story of a nation through the biographies of some of its greatest political leaders.

My Take on the Book

This book really takes the time to delve deeply into our US Presidents, even the ones that you do not know a lot about. The book goes from President to President and gives you a great understanding about what they did in office and in reading this you definitely get a good summary of the positive and negatives of the President as well as what they did or did not accomplish while in office. I appreciated that the book also included information on the President's wives and even the Vice Presidents too. If you love US history and want to know your Presidents even more than you do, this is the book for you!

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Book Review - Drawing 100 Years of Disney Wonder: A retrospective collection of artwork featuring iconic Disney characters from the past 100 years

About the Book

In Drawing 100 Years of Disney Wonder you can travel back through 100 years of The Walt Disney Company with 240 pages of art instruction and animation history with Drawing 100 Years of Disney Wonder.

Featuring Mickey Mouse and his friends, the Disney Princess characters, Pixar characters, and so much more, Drawing 100 Years of Disney Wonder is a must-have collector's item which celebrates beloved animated characters through step-by-step drawing projects, character sketches, and vintage artwork from the Disney archives. Each section of drawing lessons is categorized by decade in Disney history, along with historical context and interesting anecdotes and facts sprinkled throughout.

In each decade, learn how Disney animators have drawn the following characters and dozens more:

• 1920s: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit 1930s: Donald Duck, the Big Bad Wolf, and Snow White
• 1940s: Pinocchio, Dumbo, and Bambi
• 1950s: Cinderella, Alice, and Tinker Bell
• 1960s: Cruella De Vil from One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Baloo from The Jungle Book, and The Sword and the Stone’s Arthur
• 1970s: Marie from The Aristocats, Robin Hood, and Winnie the Pooh
• 1980s: Tod and Copper from The Fox and the Hound and The Little Mermaid's Ariel
• 1990s: Aladdin and Jasmine, Simba from The Lion King, and Woody from Toy Story
• 2000s: Stitch, Lightning McQueen from Cars, and Tiana from The Princess and the Frog
• 2010s:Frozen’s Elsa and Anna, Moana, and Coco’s Miguel
• 2020s: Ian and Barley from Onward,Encanto’s Mirabel, and Meilin from Turning Red

Artists and Disney fans alike will be entertained and enlightened by the well-rounded collector’s experience that is Drawing 100 Years of Disney Wonder.

My Take on the Book
For anyone who loves Disney and Disney animation, this is a must-have! The book really explores 100 years of Disney history and places it smack-dab in front of you where you can explore and enjoy it thoroughly. On top of learning more about the behind-the-scenes aspects of Disney, you also can learn about drawing some of your favorite Disney characters as well (though the book is not really a drawing book per se). The book offers a plethora of information on the history of animation and I found myself completely drawn into every page and I came out of the book knowing so much more! The book is an enjoyable read and one that you will not forget! 

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Book Review - Too Many Interesting Things Are Happening to Ethan Fairmont

About the Book

In Too Many Interesting Things Are Happening to Ethan Fairmont, Nick Brooks, award-winning filmmaker and author of Promise Boys, mixes out-of-this-world sci-fi with contemporary themes of friendship, community, and social justice in this hit middle-grade series.
 
Ferrous City is suddenly a lot more interesting—in fact, a little too interesting for Ethan Fairmont.

Ethan’s beloved neighborhood is full of new faces. Lifelong residents are being priced out of their homes, and new businesses are replacing old favorites. At school, Ethan finds a rival in new-kid Fatima, an inventor who is just as science savvy as him. She even has TWO patents! Then there’s the mysterious real estate agent with way too many questions for Ethan. Not to mention the extraterrestrial-obsessed Jodie and his “Aliens Are Here” club.
 
It’s all too much for Ethan and he begins to miss Cheese, his adorable six-eyed alien pal, even more. Fortunately for Ethan and his friends Kareem and Juan Carlos, distraction comes in the form of a top-secret project. Cheese left a communication device under Ethan’s bed before exiting the planet. There’s just one problem: they can’t figure out how it works!
 
As Ferrous City continues to change and eyes are everywhere, will the trio be able to keep their secret and reach Cheese, or is something nefarious brewing right next door?
 
E.T. meets Stranger Things in the second title of this unforgettable sci-fi adventure series, perfect for readers ages 8 to 12.

My Take on the Book
This was a great sequel that really brought together all of the characters that you have come to love, while pushing Ethan in while new ways. Ethan is dealing with a lot of change in his life which he seems to take in strides while also having issues with trust when it comes to the people around him. The book is a great read and by the end the book is left wide open for some great things to come! I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

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Movie Review - Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas

About the Movie

A modern-day movie musical about the making of a network TV special, Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas is the frenetic backstage story and delightful on-camera results of Dolly's desire to uplift an exhausted world's spirits by sharing the unique "mountain magic" she has always found in and around Dollywood at Christmas. Throughout the movie's production numbers and rehearsal chaos, Dolly finds herself taking a private journey into her past, guided by the mysterious appearances of her personal Three Wise Men. When it's time for her big special to air live, a renewed and inspired Dolly goes rogue and shows the world that the real magic of Christmas lies in the hearts of the children we all once were, the realization that Christmas is about the people we share it with, and how her faith remains the common thread between Christmases past, present, and future.

 

My Take on the Movie
This was a very fun movie that brought out Dolly in all of her glory. I will say that I would have appreciated to hear more Christmas music as there was not as much as I would have thought. The movie does have a lot of music in it, but it was a bot of a hodge-podge of music which leads to the overall show that is being created. People that are BIG Dolly Parton fans just want to see Dolly sing and hear her tell stories. You do get some of this, but I would have loved even more. That being said, it was still a fun movie overall!

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Book Review - The Plantastic Cookbook

About the Book

"As an Edible Schoolyard chef, Gwen embraces the joys and wisdom of farm to table eating. In this bountiful recipe collection she shares her love and reverence for our planet through fresh, seasonal food prepared simply and beautifully." —Alice Waters

In The Plantastic Cookbook you get a lively and flavorful collection of plant-based recipes developed by Hollywood caterer and Edible Schoolyard Chef/Director Gwen Kenneally. Sections include toasts and jam, soups and stews, greens and sides, jackfruit, quinoa, grilled entrees, party fare and sweets. Over 90 recipes to expand the vegan palate and introduce new flavors and cooking techniques to those not yet familiar with the joys and benefits of plant-based eating.

My Take on the Book
Part of the great things about eating vegetarian is to be able to bring fresh food to your table over and over again. This book is full of so many great recipes that allow you to bring that fresh food to your family day in and day out. The book was easy to follow and there are so many different types of recipes that you can eat throughout the year. I love how easy the recipes were to follow and I am looking forward to trying so many of these recipes in the future!

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Book Review - Every Night of the Week Veg: Meat-free Beyond Monday; A Zero-tolerance Approach to Bland

About the Book

In Every Night of the Week Veg Meat-free Beyond Monday, it's a daily slog to get veg in the mouths of every member of the household. Welcome to your sanity solution – delicious meals that vegetarians and meat-eaters will love in equal measure, served with a generous dollop of Lucy Tweed's trademark wit.

Choose your own daily adventure from:

• Monday Cowboy Pasta Dreams Pasta every which way, because there's nothing as truly weeknight
• Toned-down Tuesdays Big, bold flavours with a laid-back attitude;one-pan where possible
• Saucy Wet Wednesdays Soups and curries and slurries and spice
• Carbs-Filled-With-Things Thursdays From loaded buns and spuds to lovely things squashed into dough, this is comfort central
• Phat Snack Fridays Throw-it-together munchies with two criteria: 1. Use it up, and 2. Make it irresistible
• The Bold and the Beautiful Saturday Salads Show-off salads that take the spotlight come BBQ day
• Sunday Oeufs If you say it in French, it's sexier. All your egg needs for Sunday
• Sweet Anytime Treats Just because. 

My Take on the Book
I love finding new recipes that I can eat as a vegetarian, and this recipe has SO MANY to choose from. The book was full of a variety of great recipes and food options, so you are not bound eating only certain items. What I loved was that this cookbook had so many types of food to try and it incorporated way more things than I would have originally thought of. I have already marked about 15 recipes that I am planning to make. The recipes are well laid out and the illustrations make it easy to know what you are making (and what it should look like). Looking forward to all of these great tasting foods in the near future!

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Book review - Slow Cooker - Vegetarian

About the Book

Slow cookers are ideal for cooking healthy meals because you can use fresh, whole foods from the start and all of the vegetables nutrients remain throughout cooking, unlike other traditional cooking methods such as boiling vegetables in a saucepan. And whilst other recipes keep you tied to the kitchen, all of the dishes in Slow Cooker - Vegetarian simply require you to throw the ingredients into the slow cooker, before you can go ahead and get on with your day with the knowledge that the slow cooker is doing all of the hard work for you.

My Take on the Book
This is a great book for any vegetarian. So often I tend to have to put together a long, drawn out process to have food to eat at night. Working during the day does not always work well with this and in the end I have to spend a lot of time, after working a full day to set up and to cook the food. What I loved about this book is that there were so many ideas that could be made in a slow cooker and they were things I could set up ahead of time and then have food ready by the time that I got home for work. The book was easy to follow, with great images and instructions. I have made a few and they were great! I am really looking forward to trying so many of the other recipes in the future.

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Movie Review - Blue Beetle

About the Movie

In Blue Beetle recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero Blue Beetle.

Bonus Content:

Blue Beetle Generations: Origins Blue Beetle Generations: Production Begins Blue Beetle Generations: In Full Flight Blue Beetle Generations: A Hero's World Scarab Vision: Episode 1: Initiation Scarab Vision: Episode 2: Mastery Blue Beetle's Nana Knows Best 

My Take on the Movie
As a fan of DC Comics, Blue Beetle was always a character that I loved and I was excited to see it come to the big screen. One of the things that I loved about the film is that you get a true origin story that does follow the DC Comic storyline (for the most part). As in any comic film, this film has a little bit of everything for all viewers. You get drama, comedy, suspense and tons of action while surrounding all of it with a great cast that you can really connect with. As you watch the film, if you are a true lover of the comic, you will definitely find some hidden Easter Eggs that you will love (so be on the lookout). The movie was a ton of fun and definitely a movie I would encourage any superhero film fan to watch! It just flies by and in the end you will be cheering on Jamie and wanting to see Blue Beetle again in the future!

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Movie Review - Barbie

About the Movie
To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.

My Take on the Movie
My daughters loved this movie and convinced me to go and see it too. I was skeptical on whether I would like it, but I was pleasantly surprised. The plot was interesting and really dives deeper than I would have thought, in thinking about Barbie in general. While I will not provide spoilers, the movie really places Barbie in a different light and allows a new generation that grew up with Barbie to see her in a whole new way, and the the stereotypical way you might have first thought. The movie has some great actors throughout and they helped take the movie over the top, in my opinion. The movie is not all laughs and fun. The writers of the movie also touched on some deeper topics too which make you think much deeper than I would have first imagined. The music in the movie was also catchy and my daughters were singing "I'm Just Ken" over and over again, and once I saw the movie I understood why they liked it so much! Overall, the movie really does celebrate Barbie and allows all watchers to think about their own individuality and to dream bigger than they might have before they watched the movie. It is a fun movie for all ages!

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Book Review - Spiritually Intelligent Leadership: How to Inspire by Being Inspired

About the Book
In Spiritually Intelligent Leadership: How to Inspire by Being Inspired, Spiritual intelligence (SI) is not a belief in a higher power or God, nor is it an experience of awakening, a momentary realization, or simply feeling “at one” with the universe. Developing your spiritual intelligence means learning to cultivate and embody qualities hailed by all the world’s wisdom traditions—virtues such as purpose, compassion, integrity, presence, humility, and joy. 

 Modern research and most leadership experts agree, actualizing these traits can set off a ripple effect of inspiration that will reverberate across your entire organization, attracting others to you and your vision. But doing so requires learning new habits that can lead you to this new you: someone inner- and inter-connected, rooted in their essence and spark of life. 

 Whether you are a current or an aspiring leader, if you have a keen desire to connect with the true source of your authentic power and presence, this book is for you. With practical case studies and transformative exercises, it will guide you in discovering and growing your spiritual intelligence so that you may lead an inspired life: a life of great power, deep fulfillment, and lasting success.

My Take on the Book

This was a fresh look at leadership and how to be able to incorporate spiritual intelligence into your work. I will be honest and say that I did not know much about spiritual intelligence, but this book really opened my eyes to this and how I can better support the people around me. Emotional intelligence has been a buzzword and something that all of us in leadership roles have been focusing on for many years. Now, after reading this cook, I can see how spiritual intelligence is yet another factor and level that we need to make sure that we do not forget in working with our employees.

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Book Review - The Art of Active Listening

About the Book

Improve communication, engagement, and culture with active listening.

When employees, colleagues, and customers are not being heard, organizational culture, employee happiness, and overall organizational success will suffer. How well do you listen?

Active listening is the doorway to increased belonging, loyalty, profitability, innovation, and so much more. It is the difference between thinking we understand what people want and knowing what they want. Want to build stronger relationships, avoid misunderstandings, and anticipate problems before they surface at work?

All you have to do is listen.

The Art of Active Listening introduces a 5-step framework that shows you how to listen successfully and act upon what you are hearing. Readers will discover how to:

1. Recognize the unsaid
2. Seek to understand
3. Decode
4. Act
5. Close the loop

Backed by her personal review of over 30,000 employee and customer surveys and facilitation of 100’s of focus groups, Younger discovered one universal truth: We all want to be heard. We want our voices to matter. We want the work we do to matter.

When we get this right - when we listen to our employees and customers and care about them not just for what they can do but for who they ARE - they can and will move mountains.

Using the tools provided in this book, you can implement active listening, regardless of whether you’re in-person or virtual, that benefits all team members and customers, strengthens overall engagement, improves organizational culture, and creates a space for everyone to have a voice.

When those at work feel heard, they will do whatever it takes to achieve outcomes that serve your relationship and your organization.


My Take on the Book
This was a great book that really pulls in a ton of stories that allows you as a reader and as a leader connect and make meaningful changes to your life to be a more active listener. The book is practical and  makes you rethink about what it means to be an active listener. What I loved about the book is that it made me see that the way in which we have tried to actively listen in the past does not work. Instead, the author has created a practical guide with tips and strategies that are both easy to follow, but also easy to implement. I found that I was able to take the strategies and start using them right away. In the end, I found that this book really allowed me to change the way that I am doing things and I know that it will help me to better lead and support others in my office in the future.

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Book Review - A Pretty Implausible Premise

About the Book

When Hattie and Presley meet, it's love at first sight. Head-spinning, Taylor-Swift-song-level feelings.

 
In A Pretty Implausible Premise, their instant connection seems implausible, even impossible, as they start to realize all they have in common. Both are grieving, living in worlds haunted by ghosts; both have a parent who's out of sight, not out of mind; and both were forced to give up their Olympic dreams. Connected by experiences only they understand, Hattie and Presley fall into a whirlwind romance—flirting at their workplace, sleeping side by side beneath the stars, ice skating to a playlist all their own. But like the wildfires surrounding their California town, the trauma that haunts them is unrelenting. Can they overcome their losses without losing each other? Or will their ghosts break them apart?

Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Rachel Lynn Solomon, A Pretty Implausible Premise explores the power of a love beyond comprehension, and how seemingly implausible connections can be the ones we need the most.

My Take on the Book
This book explores so many topics surrounding love, trauma, and more. The author does a great job of creating an atmosphere that draws you in from beginning to end. The book makes you think, but is also passionate and heartfelt. The characters are ones that you can really relate to because of the wide array of emotions that they show throughout the book. The book is a roller-coaster, but one that you will never forget.

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Book Review - The Heart of Innovation: A Field Guide for Navigating to Authentic Demand

About the Book

In The Heart of Innovation A Field Guide for Navigating to Authentic Demand four innovation experts from the startup world, large enterprises, nonprofits, and academia come together to reveal the secret of uncovering authentic demand to build successful innovations.

Books on innovation mostly focus on how to nurture innovative cultures and brainstorm ideas. The Heart of Innovation is the first popular book to concretely delve into what innovations really are and how to create them. Many attempts at innovation fail because customers turn out to be indifferent. The key to success is to uncover unmet authentic demand; what customers cannot be indifferent to. Through fresh case studies, ranging from how SoulCycle revolutionized the fitness industry, to how IBM built an $8 billion business on the Web, to a single mother ending abuse in a slum in Africa, The Heart of Innovation explores how authentic demand is often hidden or taken for granted.

The first half of the book explores cases where people accidentally found their way to meeting an unmet authentic demand—or failed to. The second half of the book provides a field guide to methodically identifying and building products, services, and businesses around authentic demand.

At Georgia Tech, IBM, and elsewhere, the authors have worked with scores of startups and large companies, developing a unique methodology that unpacks the “black box” of authentic demand and shows innovators how to search for it, recognize it, and create situations for their customers that catalyze it. They explore the differences, and different challenges, to the three types of innovation—incremental improvement, company transformation, and radical “formative” innovation.

Authors Chanoff, Furst, Sabbah, and Wegman take innovators and people who work with them on a new journey through innovation. Their fresh case studies, from IBM’s entry to the Web, to a single mother in a slum in Kenya, make The Heart of Innovation as obsessively readable as it is informative.

If customers are already pulling your innovation from your hands, you don’t need this book. Otherwise, reach for The Heart of Innovation.

My Take on the Book
In this book the author challenges you to step back and work on the things that block you from coming up with and moving forward with creating new ideas. One of the things that I loved about the book is that the author has made it practical with actionable steps that you can use right away. As you read this you will leave the book with so many strategies and lessons that will move you beyond yourself. Get ready to get unstuck with this great book!

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